To DXDP or DDP that is the question

[shannonstar]

So, this will be our 4th trip (only husband's 2nd) and we probably won't be coming back for a long time.

Knowing this, I am torn about the dining. Do we take the DDP (which will most likely be free during our trip based on disney history) or do we upgrade to the DXDP and hit some signatures? We have only tried Cali and HBD.

The price difference is about $600. Based on husband's propensity for ordering the most expensive items on the menu, I think I can make the most of it.

 

[ejrj]

I'm in the same situation. We will be going during (fingers crossed) free dining. I think I'd like to upgrade to dxdp. I'm just trying to justify the $600....or (wink wink) the savings of only $200 off the current full package price compared to the savings of $800 off the full package price (if fdp happens). It's like when I use my credit card now - I'm not out spending money! I'm earning Disney Dollars.

 

[TDluvsDaisy]

If you are definitely doing several signatures I would take a closer look at the numbers. You would need to be using 2/3 of your credits for table services and planning on enjoying appetizers as well as entrees and sometimes desserts.

If you are light eaters or share meals stick with the regular plan.

Personally we love the deluxe plan. We don't mind spending the time (and tip money) to enjoy dining at Disney. We enjoy our appetizers, entrees and desserts and do at least half of our dinners eating at signature restaurants.

 

[Missyrose]

As a different take, be sure to price out what the cost of couple signature meals would be. If it's less than the cost of the upgrade to DxDP, then you can pay for those couple of signature meals OOP and use the rest of the TS credits from your regular free dining DDP for breakfasts or lunches.

 

[ldnoggle]

We just got back from our first trip using a dining plan, and we went with Deluxe. We ate a signatures every night, and did either a breakfast or lunch each day. We used our snack credits at Food and Wine. For us, it was totally worth it. We'd never eat as much as we did during the trip at home...but it was really great for us to each order a different app and dessert to split and taste. We were also 3 adults who were happy to take time out of the parks to sit down and relax during our 2 hour (plus) dinners. We were lucky enough to get Free Dining and only had to pay for the upgrade, but have already said we'd do Deluxe again, Free Dining or not.

 

[Hooked On The Mouse]

There will be plenty of people on these boards who will tell you never to do the Dxdp, because "it's too much food". We do the deluxe plan every trip and are spoiled enough that we don't want to consider the regular dining plan. We don't find that it's too much food because we use double credits for signatures or character meals, Spirit of Aloha, etc. so we only eat 2 meals a day anyway. We also like the appetizers and desserts. Our family finds that it's very worth the upgrade cost for us, but of course it will be different for everybody.

 

[MicRac]

We did deluxe dining last May and we are doing it again next May. Its a great break from the parks and an excuse to visit the other resorts. If the kids slept through one meal it was no big deal cause we were having another big meal later that day or the the next morning. It was nice cause the only thing we had to pay out of pocket for was tips. Plenty of drinks, snacks, and meals.

 

[ejrj]

We did deluxe dining last May and we are doing it again next May. Its a great break from the parks and an excuse to visit the other resorts. If the kids slept through one meal it was no big deal cause we were having another big meal later that day or the the next morning. It was nice cause the only thing we had to pay out of pocket for was tips. Plenty of drinks, snacks, and meals.

Can I ask how old your kids are?

 

[MicRac]

Son is 5 and daughter is 2

 

[ejrj]

lol. just realized we are conversing on the other (similar) topic.

 

[Missyrose]

We did DxDP in October and LOVED it. Used most of the snacks at Food and Wine Festival, did mainly breakfasts and signatures. It wasn't "too much food" for us at all!

 

[shannonstar]

So, I bit the bullet an actually did the math. If we eat at the restaurants I planned (and seriously, trying to plan for 27 credits was tough even with signatures) we will spend 1200 more on food than we would if we ordered the DDP. So, that's double the cost of the upgrade and I am thinking it is worth it. Of course, we would never eat all that if I had to pay the 1200 out of pocket, but I think the list of restaurants we would have to skip would make my husband sad. So, the plan is to book:

Crystal Palace breakfast
LTT for Thanksgiving Lunch
Tusker House breakfast
Sci Fi for Dinner
H&V for Breakfast
Le Cellier Lunch
Teppan Edo Dinner
Biergarten Dinner
Via Napoli
Tutto Italia
Garden Grill
Cape May Cafe Breakfast
Kona Breakfast
Narcoosee's
Yachtman's Steakhouse
The Luau (or another signature still on the fence)
California Grill
Raglan Road

QS will be Earl of Sandwich, Flame Tree, Columbia Harbour House, Tangeriene Cafe and that will be a total of 26, which leaves us one to spare and a giant stack of snacks to go.

We will be there 10 days, so this should be okay. We are on an 8 day ph/wp tix. The plan is to due early breakfast and then early dinner or late lunch. And yes, we spend lots of time at Epcot (drinking our way around the world showcase while following the kiddos doing Kim Possible missions).

 

[Missyrose]

Sounds like you made a the right decision for your family! Enjoy all that Disney dining.